Discussion
I spoke to their rep at IPMS National Show at Telford in November.
They have spent the last few months recovering the Airfix moulds from the French factory where they have been located for the past 20 years. They hadn't, at that stage (18 November) decided where the moulds would end up being based. There were three choices, the UK, Eastern Eorope or China.
Regarding the recommencement of production, they had on their stand test shots of a new RNLI Lifeboat model and decals which they were hoping to have available in February or March. Before the collapse, all new mouldings were coming out of China so they were not affected by the French administrator's "lock-up" of the old Heller factory. The initial releases will probably be out of the Chinese based moulds.
What is interesting is that it seems that Heller (the French model company which precipitated the Airfix collapse) have resumed production. Some of the kits which had just been re-released under the Airfix banner (e.g. the 1/72 scale De Havilland DH89 Dragon Rapide) are now being advertised in the modelling magazines as being available again in their original Heller boxings.
They have spent the last few months recovering the Airfix moulds from the French factory where they have been located for the past 20 years. They hadn't, at that stage (18 November) decided where the moulds would end up being based. There were three choices, the UK, Eastern Eorope or China.
Regarding the recommencement of production, they had on their stand test shots of a new RNLI Lifeboat model and decals which they were hoping to have available in February or March. Before the collapse, all new mouldings were coming out of China so they were not affected by the French administrator's "lock-up" of the old Heller factory. The initial releases will probably be out of the Chinese based moulds.
What is interesting is that it seems that Heller (the French model company which precipitated the Airfix collapse) have resumed production. Some of the kits which had just been re-released under the Airfix banner (e.g. the 1/72 scale De Havilland DH89 Dragon Rapide) are now being advertised in the modelling magazines as being available again in their original Heller boxings.
Edited by Eric Mc on Saturday 13th January 10:47
. speedchick said:
There was a limited run of the TSR 2, we managed to get hold of a couple of them, other half has one half built, hes trying to find time to finish it. I think we got ours from Model Zone, but I dont know if there are any more out there.
I've got one and I know where there are two more for sale, for the right price, there's always eBay of course.
10,000 TSR2s were run off in the initial pressings. That was the plan - with limited re-releases scheduled for future years. Unfortunately, the company went under just after the first run arrived in the shops. I had one on order from my local model shop which I did receive at the normal retail price.
At the IPMS show in November, one IPMS branch had about 30 TSR2 models assembled in all sorts of "What If" colour schemes.
They are available on e-bay, often at silly prices. Hopefully, it will be back in production before the end of 2007. Because it was a brand new model, the moulds were based in China and were not "locked up" in the French Heller factory.
Rumour is that the moulds were designed and built for Airfix by the Chinese Trumpeter company. There is the possibility that, at some future date, the kit may appear in Trumpeter boxing.
At the IPMS show in November, one IPMS branch had about 30 TSR2 models assembled in all sorts of "What If" colour schemes.
They are available on e-bay, often at silly prices. Hopefully, it will be back in production before the end of 2007. Because it was a brand new model, the moulds were based in China and were not "locked up" in the French Heller factory.
Rumour is that the moulds were designed and built for Airfix by the Chinese Trumpeter company. There is the possibility that, at some future date, the kit may appear in Trumpeter boxing.
Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 15th January 08:35
Eric, have you started on yours yet? other half says its a typical Airfix kit, great idea but a bad fit, he's had to test fit all the pieces and the joins are terrible, heck of a lot of filing down and filling, he says it seems to be the way Airfix have gotten over the past few years, the 1/72 Concorde was horrendous when it came to the joins, even the model in our local shop (constructed by a chap at Airfix) was bad!
Airfix fit of parts has been an issue for decades. Having been brought up on Airfix kits since the 60s I am well used to their shortcomings and take the problems in my stride. Indeed, I sometimes feel that modellers have it a little too easy with the virtual "click to fit" of some products - like those produced by Tamiya and Hasegawa (and the latest Revells, which are beautifully moulded).Having to fill and sand was always part of the modelling process.
I haven't started on my TSR2 (it's in the "to do" stack - which is pretty enormous, I have to admit). I've heard that the fit isn't brilliant, but it's fantastic when compared to previous TSR2 models (Contrails woeful vacform of the 70s or Arbas's more recent resin kit).
I haven't started on my TSR2 (it's in the "to do" stack - which is pretty enormous, I have to admit). I've heard that the fit isn't brilliant, but it's fantastic when compared to previous TSR2 models (Contrails woeful vacform of the 70s or Arbas's more recent resin kit).
Eric Mc said:
(it's in the "to do" stack - which is pretty enormous, I have to admit).
ha ha, other half went through his to do pile (and the ones dotted about in other places that wouldnt fit on top of the wardrobe!, we could open our own shop!) and he reckons that at building one kit per month, it will take him about 12 years to get through them all
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